Microsoft released six versions of the Windows Vista operating system, in a move that could pave the way for price hikes.
Microsoft said that it plans to release six versions of its Windows Vista operating system targeted at businesses, home users, and emerging markets, paving the way for the world’s No. 1 software maker to raise prices on its OS after holding them steady for a decade.
Although at the time, Microsoft said the Web page was posted prematurely and “included incomplete information about the Windows Vista product line up,” there is clearly little difference between what was ‘leaked’ and the official version.
However, we do now have more information on exactly what each version will offer.
Windows Vista, due out in the second half of 2006, is the much-anticipated upgrade to Microsoft’s flagship product. Windows, which is found in about 90 percent of all computer desktops, is also one of Microsoft’s earnings cash cows.
The Windows Vista product lineup consists of six versions, two for businesses, three for consumers, and one for emerging markets.
Microsoft currently has the same number of versions available for its current OS, Windows XP. Unlike the current Windows XP, there will be no versions designed specifically for advanced 64-bit computing, multimedia computers or Tablet PCs.
We are delivering the exact same number of offerings as in Windows XP, but the big difference is that each of those offerings are targeted differently with a different set of features, said Barry Goffe, director of Microsoft’s Windows client product marketing.
Business customers can choose from two versions, Windows Vista Business and Windows Vista Enterprise, based on the size and scale of their organizations. The Business version is targeted at small businesses.
The first in the lineup addresses what is to become of the Tablet PC edition. Billed as “Windows Vista Business,” it includes that same technology along with other improvements such as integrated search and a new interface. Windows Aero promises a ‘transparent glass design’ and other niceties that give the nod to the likes of Sun’s Looking Glass project, with “Windows Flip and Flip 3D.”
Next up is the Enterprise Version. In addition to the Business features, it promises higher levels of data protection using hardware-based encryption technology, through Windows BitLocker Drive Encryption. Large companies will also be able to deploy Windows desktops from a single image and be able to handle all the languages supported by the platform.
Windows Vista Enterprise is aimed at large, global companies with encryption features to protect information even if a computer is stolen and tools to enable compatibility with applications designed for older operating systems.
Other Enterprise tricks include the ability to run UNIX applications unchanged thanks to a UNIX subsystem. This again is borrowed finery in the sense that Sun’s Solaris 10, for example, is able to run Red Hat software natively.
Also in the Enterprise edition, Virtual PC turns up in the form of Virtual PC Express. This allows applications written for older versions of Windows to run in much the same way as Apple has different environments for applications written for OS X and OS 9.
The two business versions will only be available to those taking up Microsoft’s Software Assurance licensing program.
The consumer versions come in three flavours. Home Basic is the no-frills version. Sure, you get better security and search tools, plus parental controls. But this pales in comparison to Home Premium.
Redmond, Washington-based Microsoft expects Windows Vista Home Premium to be the mainstream consumer product, allowing users to record and watch high-definition television, burn and author DVDs and perform other multimedia functions. Microsoft will also offer the Vista Ultimate, which will include entertainment and business features.
Vista Home Premium will be the middle option for consumers, sandwiched between the high-end Windows Vista Ultimate, which also includes business-oriented features, and a bare-bone Windows Vista Home Basic without the multimedia capabilities.
Finally, Windows Vista Ultimate is the best of both worlds, adding in business credentials to the entertainment strengths of Premium.
Microsoft also offers Windows Vista Starter in emerging markets, which has been designed specifically for lower-cost computers.
Available separately in emerging markets, a Starter version will be available. And according to the leaked page, “versions built to comply with restrictions imposed by the EU antitrust rulings will be suffixed with an N.”
We live in a digital world that is filled with more information, more things to do, and more ways to communicate with others than ever, said Mike Sievert, corporate vice president of Windows Product Management and Marketing at Microsoft, in a statement. With our Windows Vista product line, we have streamlined and tailored our product lineup to provide what our customers want for today’s computing needs.
Move to Raise Prices
Analysts said Microsoft’s decision to release multiple Vista flavors could be part of the company’s strategy to create more differentiation among its products and to generate greater excitement around Windows in different market segments.
It could also help Microsoft raise prices of its desktop operating system, which has pretty much remained the same since Windows 95 was released, said Joe Wilcox, an analyst with Jupiter Research. A home edition of XP costs $199.
The version strategy may also allow Microsoft to do something not done in more than a decade—raise desktop operating system prices, a tact that can be difficult to take in a market where one product dominates and where monopoly and a contentious antitrust case cast long shadows, said Mr. Wilcox.
Microsoft has not disclosed the pricing for Windows Vista yet.
Microsoft said all versions of Windows Vista are scheduled to be available in the second half of the year or at the approach of the holiday season, when computer sales peak. The revamped OS is expected to be Microsoft’s biggest revenue generator in the next few years.
The company, which accidentally posted some details of the Vista product lineup on one of its Web sites earlier in the month, has promised that Vista will feature improved security, simplified search across the desktop and a cleaner interface.
All the versions for consumers and businesses are available for both 32-bit and 64-bit computer systems. Sixty-four-bit processors can crunch twice as many bits of information at one time as the more prevalent 32-bit processors.